Conveyor for magnetic material



Dec. 22, 1964 J. WJLEONARD- m 3,162,296

' CONVEYOR FOR MAGNETIC MATERIAL Filed Oct. 10, 1962 //V VE/V TOR.

JOSEPH M. LEONARDZZZ Attorney United States Patent ()fi ice 3,162,296Patented Dec. 22, 1964 Jersey Filed Oct. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 229,541 4Claims. (Cl. 198-411) This invention relates to an improved conveyor fortransporting particulate magnetic material.

Although the invention is not thus limited, my conveyor is particularlyuseful for handling magnetic particles used in a heavy medium mineralsseparation process. In this type of process magnetic particles(magnetite or ferrosilicon) are suspended in water to form a medium ofspecific gravity intermediate that of the values and tailing present ina mineral, such as ore or coal. The mineral is fed to the medium, wherethe lighter constituent floats and the heavier constituent sinks.Subsequently medium is drained and recovered from both the float andsink products. After draining, the products are washed with water andthe Wash water treated in a magnetic separator and densifier to recoveradditional medium particles. Nevertheless some medium particles unavoidably are lost and must be replaced as the process operates. It is ofcourse essential to maintain the specific gravity of the medium at theproper value. Hence the rate at which replacement particles are addedmust be carefully controlled. An object of my invention is to provide animproved conveyor suited for carrying replacement magnetic mediumparticles at a controlled rate and without losses from storage to a sumpor the like where the particles are added to a water suspension.

A further object is to provide an improved conveyor which includes aplurality of fixed magnets and movable rifiles located in a criticalrelation to enable the conveyor to transport magnetic particles at acontrolled rate up an incline and discharge them without losses.

In the drawing:

The single figure is a side elevational view, partly diagrammatic andwith parts broken away, of a conveyor constructed in accordance with myinventionv My conveyor includes an upwardly sloping stationary frameformed of a pair of parallel beams and a plurality of upstanding guidemembers 12 fixed at spaced locations to the beams. A series of uniformlyspaced permanent magnets 13 are fixed to the beams and extend across thespace therebetween. If the magnets do not brace the frame withsuificient rigidity, I may also include transverse bracing between thetwo beams. It is also apparent I could use electromagnets. Alongitudinally movable pan 14 constructed of stainless steel or othersuitable nonmagnetic material rests on top of the magnets and extendsthe length of the frame. The upper face of the pan carries a series oftransverse rifiles 15 of triangular cross section also constructed ofnonmagnetic material. The rifiies correspond in number to the magnetsand each has a face 15a which is perpendicular to the upper surface ofthe pan. Successive faces 15a are spaced apart the same distance as themagnets. A plurality of hood sections 16 of inverted U-shape in crosssection and also of nonmagnetic material are rigidly attached to theside edges of the pan. The hood sections form a cover which is spacedabove the rifiies.

A drive shaft 17 is journaled in bearings 18 mounted on beams 10adjacent their upper ends. The drive shaft is connected to a suitabledrive motor 19, and it carries a crank wheel 20. A connecting rod 21 isconnected to wheel and to the uppermost hood section 16. Thus rotationof the drive shaft reciprocates the pan 14, rifiies 15 and hood section16 back and forth along the beams 10 and magnets 13 between the guidemembers 12. The

parts are proportioned so that at the lower end of the path of movementof the pan each riffle face 15a overlies a magnet 13, and at the upperend of the movement each face 15a overlies the next magnet 13thereabove.

In the illustration, the conveyor carries particulate magnetic materialfrom a storage bin 22 to a sump 23. Particles discharge from the binthrough an opening 24 in the cover and are received on upper face of pan14. The magnets 13 hold the particles in small piles 25 in front of eachperpendicular face 15a or ritfies 15. During the upstroke of the pan,each pile of particles advances to a position above the next highermagnet. During each downstroke, the respective magnets hold each pilewhile the rifiles pass beneath. In this manner the piles of particlesadvance step-by-step up the pan. At the top they discharge through achute 26 formed integrally with the uppermost hood section. This chuteis situated over the sump 23.

I can accurately control the rate at which the conveyor deliversparticles by controlling the speed at which motor 1h moves the pan. Thehood sections 16 cover the particles on the pan and thus effectivelyprevent losses.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of myinvention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I donot wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A conveyor comprising a frame, a plurality of magnets fixed to saidframe and spaced lengthwise thereof, a pan supported on said magnets forreciprocating movement relative thereto along a path lengthwise of saidframe, a plurality of rifiles on the upper surface of said pan, said panand rifiies being of nonmagnetic material, each of said rifiles having aface perpendicular to the upper surface of said pan, said faces beingspaced apart at distances corresponding to the spacing between saidmagnets, and drive means operatively connected with said pan for movingthe pan and riffies back and forth along said path, the perpendicularface of each riffle overlying a magnet at one end of said path andoverlying the next magnet at the other end of said path.

2. A conveyor comprising an upwardly inclined frame, a plurality ofmagnets fixed to said frame and spaced lengthwise thereof, a pansupported on said magnets for reciprocating movement relative theretoalong an inclined path lengthwise of said frame, a plurality of rifilesfixed to the upper surface of said pan, said pan and riffies being ofnonmagnetic material, said rifiles being of triangular cross section andeach having a face perpendicular to the surface of said pan, said facesbeing spaced apart at distances corresponding to the spacing betweensaid magnets, and drive means operatively connected with said pan formoving the pan and rifiles back and forth along said path, theperpendicular face of each rifile overlying a magnet at the lower end ofsaid path and overlying the next magnet thereabove at the upper end ofsaid path.

3. A conveyor comprising an upwardly inclined frame, a plurality ofmagnets fixed to said frame and spaced lengthwise thereof, a pluralityof upwardly extending guide members fixed to said frame, a pan supportedon said magnets for reciprocating movement relative thereto along aninclined path between said guide members and lengthwise of said frame, aplurality of rifiles fixed to the upper surface of said pan, a coverfixed to said pan and spaced above said riflles, said pan, rifiies andcover being of nonmagnetic material, said riffies being of triangularcross section and each having a face perpendicular to the upper surfaceof said pan, said faces being spaced apart at distances corresponding tothe spacing between said magnets, and drive means mounted on said frameand operatively connected with said pan for moving the pan s and rifilesback and forth along said path, the perpendic that face 6f each riffieoverl ing a rnagnt at the lower end of said path and overlying the nextmagnet thereabove at the upper end of said path.

4. Aeo'nveyor comprising an up'vv'ardly inclined fr'ame,

a plurality of magnets fixed to said frame and spaced lengthwisethereof, a plurality of upwardly extending guide members fixed to saidframe, a pan supported'on said magnets forrecipro'cating movementrelative thereto spaced above' said rifiles, said pan, riffies and coverbeing of non-rnagr'letic material, said rifiles being'of triangular"cross 'sc'tion'and each having aface perpendicular to the upper surfaceof said pan, said fades being spaced apart at distances correspondin'gto the spacing between said magnets, means for feeding particulatemagnetic material to the lov'ver end of said pan, a chute fixed to theupper end of said pan for discharging the material, and drive meansmounted on said frame and operatively connected with said pan for movingthe pan and rifiles back and forth along said path, the perpendicularface of each rifile overlying a magnet at the lower end of said path andoverlying the next magnet thereabove' at the upper end of said path.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS849,385 7 [Gibson j Apr. 9, 1907 2,592,010 C016 Apr. 8, 1952 3,033,369

Kragle May 8, 1962

1. A CONVEYOR COMPRISING A FRAME, A PLURALITY OF MAGNETS FIXED TO SAIDFRAME AND SPACED LENGTHWISE THEREOF, A PAN SUPPORTED ON SAID MAGNETS FORRECIPROCATING MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO ALONG A PATH LENGTHWISE OF SAIDFRAME, A PLURALITY OF RIFFLES ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PAN, SAID PANAND RIFFLES BEING OF NONMAGNETIC MATERIAL, EACH OF SAID RIFFLES HAVING AFACE PERPENDICULAR TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PAN, SAID FACES BEINGSPACED APART AT DISTANCES CORRESPONDING TO THE SPACING BETWEEN SAIDMAGNETS, AND DRIVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID PAN FOR MOVINGTHE PAN AND RIFFLES BACK AND FORTH ALONG SAID PATH, THE PERPENDICULARFACE OF EACH RIFFLE OVERLYING A MAGNET AT ONE END OF SAID PATH ANDOVERLYING THE NEXT MAGNET AT THE OTHER END OF SAID PATH.